Cue-exposure interventions for alcohol relapse prevention: need for a memory modification component.
The ability of cue-conditioned responses (CCRs) to predict relapse in problem drinkers across a wide variety of situations is better appreciated when one considers that encoded alcohol-related stimuli can be retrieved from memory and, consequently, serve as symbolic cues. By decreasing retrieval strength to such cues one might: (1) decrease the possibility that such cues elicit alcohol-related CCRs (urges), which may lead to drinking, and (2) decrease the possibility of relapse resulting directly from thinking about drinking. A memory modification approach, as compared to cue exposure, may be relatively effective with old versus young alcoholics.
Sussman
S
S
Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles 91101.
Horn
J L
JL
Gilewski
M
M
D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000523:psychology*; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D003214:Conditioning, Classical; D003463:Cues; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007171:Implosive Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D011939:Mental Recall; D012008:Recurrence